Virginia has two distinct beach environments: the Atlantic-facing coast around Virginia Beach and the barrier islands to the north, and the Chesapeake Bay shoreline to the west. They are different in almost every way, from wave size to water temperature to parking options. This guide covers 6 of the best beaches in Virginia, with ratings and review counts from BeachCheck.
Sandbridge Beach
Sandbridge Beach is Virginia's highest-rated beach in the BeachCheck database at 4.8 stars across 1,215 reviews. It sits about 15 miles south of the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, separated from the city's resort area by the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
The distance from the main resort strip is the point. Sandbridge has no boardwalk, no high-rise hotels directly on the beach, and no amusement venues. The residential feel is what draws visitors who find the Oceanfront section too busy in summer. The beach is wide and the dunes are intact.
Getting there requires driving down Sandbridge Road, which is a single two-lane road. On summer weekends it backs up, particularly heading out in the afternoon. Arriving before 9am or after 4pm avoids most of it. There is no public parking infrastructure comparable to the Oceanfront, so plan around rental properties or the small beach access lots.
Assateague Beach
Assateague Beach on the Virginia side of Assateague Island rates 4.9 stars from 465 reviews, the highest rating of any Virginia beach in the directory. The Virginia section is managed by the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, which limits development and keeps the beach relatively uncrowded compared to the Maryland side.
The wild ponies that roam Assateague Island are the most-photographed feature. They are real horses, not a display, and they will approach for food, which rangers discourage. Keep food stored and maintain distance.
Access to the Virginia section of Assateague is through Chincoteague Island. The Wildlife Loop Road is open to cyclists in the morning before cars are allowed in. Entry fee is $25 per vehicle (valid 7 days). No overnight camping is permitted on the Virginia side, unlike the Maryland Assateague State Park section.
Chincoteague Island
Chincoteague Island rates 4.8 stars across 354 reviews. Chincoteague is the town and the island that serves as the gateway to Assateague. The town itself has a working waterfront, seafood restaurants, and a small downtown.
The Pony Penning auction happens every July when the fire company rounds up some of the wild ponies from Assateague and swims them across the channel. It is a genuine local event that draws a large crowd. If you visit in late July you will be sharing Chincoteague with a lot more people than during a normal summer week.
The island is about 3 hours from Washington, D.C. and 90 minutes from Virginia Beach. It is far enough from major metros that it avoids the weekend day-trip crowds that hit more accessible beaches.
North End Beaches
North End Beaches rate 4.8 stars across 205 reviews. The North End refers to the residential section of Virginia Beach north of 42nd Street, where the hotels thin out and the houses back directly onto the dune line.
The city maintains public beach access points with small parking lots throughout the North End. The beach is the same Atlantic strand as the Oceanfront, but without the boardwalk infrastructure. No bands, no bars within 100 feet of the sand, no crowds around a convention center. The tradeoff is fewer amenities: fewer restrooms, fewer lifeguard stands, and you need to bring everything with you.
For visitors staying in the resort area who want a less busy beach experience, driving north to 50th or 60th Street is a reasonable alternative to fighting for space at 17th Street.
Ocean View Beach
Ocean View Beach is in Norfolk, on the Chesapeake Bay rather than the Atlantic. It rates 4.7 stars from 532 reviews. The Bay water is calmer than ocean surf, warmer in summer, and has no significant wave action, which makes it more usable for small children.
The Ocean View neighborhood has a park with a fishing pier, picnic shelters, and a volleyball area. The bay views include ship traffic from the Port of Norfolk and the Norfolk Naval Station, which is the largest naval base in the world by area. That is not a typical beach backdrop, but it is specific to this location.
Parking is straightforward with a public lot directly adjacent. The beach is less than 15 miles from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront by road.
First Landing Beach
First Landing Beach is inside First Landing State Park, where the English settlers made landfall in 1607 before establishing Jamestown. It rates 4.7 stars from 176 reviews.
The park has 19 miles of hiking trails through coastal forest and cypress swamps, which distinguishes it from a standard beach visit. The beach itself is on the Chesapeake Bay, so water is calm and conditions are gentle. The campground books up months in advance for summer weekends.
The park entrance is on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach, about 5 miles from the resort area. Day-use fee is $7 per vehicle on weekdays, $10 on weekends. The combination of beach access, hiking, and camping in one park makes it one of the more versatile options in the state.
For a full list of Virginia beaches with ratings and conditions, visit BeachCheck's Virginia beach directory.